


Better Left Unsaid

by missrhondalee



Category: Laverne & Shirley (TV)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, One-Sided Attraction, Unrequited, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:08:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27179695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missrhondalee/pseuds/missrhondalee
Summary: Rhonda makes a discovery...
Relationships: Laverne DeFazio/Carmine Ragusa
Kudos: 2





	Better Left Unsaid

**Author's Note:**

> I know this title has been used in another C/L fic but I couldn't find a better one as I think it fits the story perfectly.

Laverne squealed excitedly as Rhonda parked the car in the very last spot available. Finally, after another dull week at Ajax, she was going to have some fun and it was about damn time. As she stepped out of the vehicle, Laverne automatically dug through her bag for her sunglasses. Contrary to popular belief, the best thing about living in California wasn't sunshine all year long. After all never seeing the seasons change was boring especially after so many winters in Milwaukee. No, the best thing about living in California was the movie stars, celebrities.

It has already been three years that she and Shirley moved to the west coast. Her best friend wasn't a part of her life anymore, she walked out on her after getting married to Walter months ago and she was still bitter about it. Shirley deserting her had been crummy but in those three years, Laverne also experienced exciting things. One of them was spotting celebrities. Laverne had actually not only spotted but met a couple of very famous people and every time she met one of them, she couldn't help but imagine Rosie Greenbaum dying of jealousy and god, did it feel good. For years she'd resented her wealth and her married life but the way Rosie behaved toward her last year at their high school reunion when she found out that she and Shirley lived in California had honestly felt like karma finally kicked her where it hurt. Okay, sure, she'd mostly behaved like this because she'd believed the lies Lenny and Squiggy wrote in that letter but it still felt great nonetheless and right now she was chuckling, thinking about big ol' Rosie back in Wisconsin living her boring life. How exciting could your life be when you were married to a proctologist?!

Spotting celebrities had somehow become one of her favorite things to do. So obviously when Rhonda told her about the _Hello, Dolly!_ premiere, Laverne decided to tag along and so did Carmine. Although he did miraculously meet Gene Kelly a thousand years ago back in Milwaukee, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to see one of his idols again. After all, maybe the guy would spot him in the crowd and remember him. Okay, sure, it would be a long shot but it was still worth trying. The only annoying thing about these premieres was that you had to be a giant to even spot anybody famous. Therefore, Laverne knew she would have to climb on someone's shoulders again and all three of them knew who that person was going to be. "No way. No."

Laverne whined, "Come on, Carmine. Please." she, Rhonda and Carmine were making their way to the entrance and by the looks of it, the entire state of California had heard about this premiere! "There's so many people. I won't see anything. Please."

"No. I still have nightmares from the last time."

"I'm not wearing those heels this time. Please." she was literally pouting now and tugging on the bottom of his shirt but he was shaking his head. "Climb on Rhonda. She's taller than I am."

Rhonda heard that. "Climb on Rhonda? I don't think so. You don't want to mess up my hair, do you Laverne?" it was no secret that Rhonda's appearance was her most precious thing and she couldn't risk having mussed hair especially near celebrities. Just like Carmine, she was dreaming of making it big one of these days and she knew she had to look her best at all times in case some producer would spot her which had happened several times in the past especially at premieres like these. Laverne was almost begging now. "Please, Carmine."

"Look, I'm taking my shoes off." and she did, "What do you say?"

She was pouting again and she knew she won when Laverne saw his lips twitching toward a smile.

Carmine groaned giving in once again. He could never say no to her for too long. "Ugh. Fine."

She handed him her shoes giggling as he knelt down.

"Careful where you place your knee there." he warned Laverne as she finally managed to climb and sit on his shoulders with her legs hanging on either side of him.

Rhonda looked up at her, "How's the view, Laverne?"

"I can almost see Barbra!"

"Any sign of Gene?"

"Nope."

Just like last time, Laverne couldn't help but play with his hair and he felt her twirling it between her fingers. "Do you have to play with my hair?"

"Yes. Not my fault it's so soft."

He'd spent a fair amount of time brushing it and now he knew it was gonna be ruined. "Come on, you know my hair's giving me trouble."

"Your hair's so nice." okay, he had to admit he enjoyed those massages they even relaxed him a little.

Rhonda winked, "Your hair's not the only nice thing about you, Carmine."

"I second that." Laverne also enjoyed his big, strong hands securing her legs there...

Carmine felt himself almost blushing as he chuckled nervously. He laughed again when Gene Kelly and Barbra Streisand appeared holding hands on the red carpet and he heard Laverne squealing. "Here. Take a picture." Rhonda handed her the camera. "You see Carmine, if you hadn't let me climb on you, none of this would be happening."

"Don't you want a memory to look back on?"

"Just take the picture, will you?"

Just as they were getting excited about seeing celebrities up close, after all that was why they were here in the first place, Laverne spotted a guy coming up to them and damn, was he good looking. Laverne surely couldn't go unnoticed as she was the only one on somebody's shoulders. "Hello, there. Enjoying the view?" The guy, whose name was David, chuckled looking up. He slightly resembled Marlon Brando and needless to say, Laverne was definitely attracted to him. "Wanna take my picture?" David winked pointing at the camera in her hand.

Carmine now felt uncomfortable as Laverne and David started talking while she was still sitting on his shoulders. Let's be real, it was never a pleasant thing watching your friends flirt in front of your very eyes...at least to him, it wasn't.

David had to practically shout for her to hear him. Laverne patted Carmine's arm so she could get down. She thanked him as he handed her the shoes back. "Thanks, Carmine. And thanks for the camera, Rhonda."

"You can climb on my shoulders any time." David winked seductively watching her put her shoes back on and although Laverne giggled, he did notice Carmine looking slightly annoyed or at least he could feel his presence bothered him somehow. He wasn't talking but his demeanor spoke volumes.

"I'm sorry. Are you guys together-" David gestured with his hands. Imagine how awkward it would be if he were flirting with someone else's girlfriend...

Laverne reassured him quickly. "Nah. He's just a friend."

Although Rhonda noticed Carmine's facial expression change the second David appeared, he now looked down right upset at the sound of these words. Laverne hadn't picked up on it but she sure did. Even more when she and Carmine watched them walk away so they could get to know each other more privately. He looked like he'd just been punched in the gut!

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"You look upset."

"Why would I be upset?"

Rhonda shrugged, "I don't know. Why would you be?"

Now Carmine couldn't help but stare at Laverne talking with this guy and he felt this urge to beat him up. They were having a good time between friends and this David guy had to show up out of nowhere. Crummy didn't even describe how he felt. Actually, lately, every time he saw Laverne talk to guys he would get this ache all over his body. He knew what it was but he was in denial and so far it had worked and it would have again if Rhonda wasn't there...

Something snapped inside Rhonda as she finally put the pieces together. "Oh, my god. You like her!"

He stammered, he even started looking pale. "W-What? Of course I do. She's my friend..."

Rhonda nudged him winking, "Come on. You can't fool Rhonda."

"You like her!"

"Shh!" he shushed her, "She's gonna hear. You can't say anything."

"So, it's true."

Carmine took a deep breath and admitted it that yes, he had these feelings for Laverne and he's been feeling like this for weeks. Everything changed when Shirley left, he found himself hanging out with Laverne a lot and he started enjoying her company more than he'd cared to admit. So much so that sometimes, he'd find himself thinking about her nonstop. Carmine understood this was more than a crush when she began popping up in his dreams. He had hoped deep down that she may be feeling the same but seeing her with this guy and all the other guys before him, he had to face the facts that it wasn't reciprocated.

"Look at her, she clearly doesn't like me like that."

"So what are you gonna do then?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"So you're just going to keep this to yourself, hoping your feelings just magically disappear one of these days?"

"That's right." his friendship with Laverne meant the world to him and Carmine knew this would ruin it. He'd already lost Shirley, he couldn't afford to lose her, too.

"You can't say anything to her. I'm begging you. Don't tell her."

She wasn't answering and he was starting to freak out. "Can I trust you?"

"Yeah. Your secret's safe with Rhonda."

Carmine tried to get his breathing under control as Laverne reappeared happily.

"I gave him my number. Hope he calls." she was crossing her fingers, hell even her toes. "Isn't he a dreamboat?"

Rhonda confirmed it while Carmine...rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I guess."

Laverne pinched his cheek playfully. "You're a dreamboat too, Ragusa."

"Yeah, right..."

Laverne now held his hand and rested her head on his shoulder. The universe apparently wasn't done torturing him...

"Trust me, Carmine, you're a catch too."

Carmine and Rhonda glanced at each other silently as Laverne released a sigh of contentment. Her life couldn't get any better than this.


End file.
